Season 1904-05

This opened on 26th September against Plymouth Reserves, with a result 5-9; an improvement on earlier meetings. 'Play was bright and entertaining, Vincent obtaining a well deserved try for Argaum, Grigg converting, but Plymouth Reserves had a general superiority'.

A.P. Heard is shown as Argaum's Captain the following week, away to Exeter Reserves. 'Although Grigg was successful in stopping several dangerous rushes, the home side won by a margin of 6-0'. On the same day Argaum 2nd XV defeated R.N.E. College IV at Keyham 8-0 (2 tries by Wilson and a Ford conversion) - Argaum attacking for three parts of the game. The next Saturday the 2nd XV lost 'a very close game' to Plymouth and Mannamead College at Ford Park 3-8, but the 1st XV game versus Pembroke Utd. is unreported - possibly due to it being a 4p.m. kick off. Kelly College were beaten 19-0 by the 1st XV side, with tries by Woolley, Murray, Heard, Woodland, and Perez and 2 conversions by Grigg, 'the visiting forwards were heavier than their opponents and strong in the loose'. A 2nd XV fixture at Newton resulted in a 12-0 win, a side including a number of 1st XV players.

Possibly stretched to name two XVs regularly there is considerable reliance on A N Other or perhaps A. Goodman (hopefully!), but against HMS Cambridge on October 29th the club's half back pairing must have achieved classical heights in the persons of P. Alpha and G. Beta. The club won through two tries by Woodland to a try. The report of Woodland’s second try reads 'he picked up in the Cambridge 25 and ran through to score. Some of the Cambridge players disputed the referee’s decision and a lot of foul play was indulged in by a few of their players, which was very unfair to the rest of the team who did their best to keep the bad temper in check'. On the day, the 'classical' half back pairing resolved itself in Messrs Lendon and Murray. A further win 14-0 over Kelly College, tries by Littleton(3), Moon(1) and a Grigg conversion in 'a very pleasant game'. This was followed by a string of defeats, 0-9 v Ramblers at Torpoint, 0-3 v Blundells School at Tiverton, 0-10 v Paignton Reserves (between two evenly matched sides in a fast open game). Plymouth Reserves (again) 0-6 and Boxing Day 3-32 at Teignmouth. In the meantime, 2nd XV results 0-3 v Hope Utd, 0-21 at Bere Alston and a 21-0 victory over Plymouth and Mannamead College.

The second half of the season was somewhat lacking in success, 8-18 v Plymouth Ramblers (Bryant 2 tries, Grigg conversion), 3-8 v R.N.E. College III at Bladdenley (Littleton and Mattheson the full back was off most of the second half and Hitchins W.W. injured a foot). At R.N.E. College II the following week, once again 3-8, Mantell scored for Argaum after running half the length of the field. Had the visitors been a little heavier, the result might well have been different. Then Exeter Training College at the Rectory 0-13 and the only slight break in the clouds, a 0-0 draw v St. Peter at Swilly. There are no reports of any 2nd XV activity during this half of the season. The final game was against Plymouth Albion Old Crocks, who included former Devon County players W. Sowden (1894) G. Sowden (1896) and F. Marshall (1896/7). The report reads ... 'the 2nd half found the Old Crocks failing in wind, and the visitors all but overtook the score'. Play ended Plymouth Albion Old Crocks 17, Plymouth Argaum 15.